Search expands for rape suspect

Recent attacks on three Richmond County women have neighboring communities reviewing old sexual assault cases and checking records for the man's distinctive two-toned gray pickup.

Aiken and Columbia County officials said Wednesday nothing has turned up, but they continue to look through their sex offender registries for potential suspects and are following up leads.

"We're really concerned about this," Columbia County Staff Sgt. Mike Cullinan said. "Anything we can do to assist Richmond County, they know we will do it."

In increasingly violent attacks -- May 19, 21 and June 13 -- three women said they were walking late at night when a man in a truck stopped, offered them a ride, then attacked them physically and, twice, sexually. The first two attacks took place in the Harrisburg neighborhood. The June attack -- the most vicious -- left a woman sliced with a razor and bleeding in a parking lot off Mike Padgett Highway.

Richmond County sheriff's investigators said Wednesday they have received a handful of phone calls from residents who recognized trucks similar to the black-over-gray Chevrolet S-10 driven by the alleged attacker, Richmond County sheriff's Sgt. Calvin Chew said.

Victims described the man as white, in his 20s, 5 feet 10 inches and 160-200 pounds, with light-brown or blond hair in a crew-cut style. He also had a small tattoo on his arm.

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People be careful out there....Let's all be aware and pray this sick piece of scum is caught and put away forever....Someone somewhere knows this evil being, he has to work and sleep somewhere...Please come forward before he attacks and kills his next victim....

This monster needs to be turned in as soon as possible. People need to look at your neighbors, co-workers and friends. Who all of a sudden has sold or stop driving a vehicle of similar description? Who has changed their hair style or habits all of a sudden. Someone out there has the key to finding this scumbag.

Women should NOT be accepting rides from strangers. That is the first mistake! Does anyone read the newspapers or watch television reports??? Common sense people, God gave most of us that gift, so we need to use it! We must pay attention to our gut feelings, if something does not seem right, then it probably isn't! If someone offers you a ride late at night, and you DONT know them, then they are probably not just a "good samaratin", there is most likely an ulterior motive!!!! This sick person needs to be caught, and caught fast!!

Why in the world would ANYONE, male or female, get into a vehicle with someone you don't know? That is one of the very first things that we teach children as soon as they can understand. Several similar incidents happened in Athens over the past year around the time of football season - might the incidents all be connected?
The surveillance picture which was shown of the truck looks as if it could possibly be enhanced to provide some description of the perpetrator. But common sense, if that even exists any more, would tell any individual who is approached by a stranger driving a vehicle to run screaming away, attempting to attract attention from anyone who might be nearby. Getting into the vehicle only seals the doom of the victim and the attacks seem to be getting worse. Even if the driver has a gun, run away, away from the roadway where he can't drive the vehicle, run to a business, house, whatever, but never never never never get into the vehicle unless you are looking for "something" too. And that has been and will continue to be dangerous.